Kanlaon eruption sparks fires; ashfall hits Negros villages

SLOPE BLAZE The moderately explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano opn Monday evening triggered forest fires, visible from Barangay Biak‑na‑Bato in La Castellana. The Office of Civil Defense and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology have urged the public to prepare for possible ashfall. —MJ GUARDIANO/CONTRIBUTOR

BACOLOD CITY—A moderately explosive eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on Sunday night triggered forest and grassland fires covering an estimated 65 hectares (ha) and caused ashfall and a sulfuric odor across 90 barangays in Negros, authorities reported.

The eruption began at 6:07 p.m. and lasted about a minute, but ash emission continued for 3 hours and 49 minutes, according to Mari Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology stationed in La Carlota City.

Kanlaon previously had moderately explosive eruptions on Feb. 19 and Feb. 26 and remains under alert level 2.

Quintia said the fires on the volcano’s slopes were likely triggered by ballistic projectiles or pyroclastic density currents during the eruption.

The fires subsided between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Monday, she said.

Philip Lechoncito, parks operations superintendent of Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park, said the fires affected around 20 ha of forest land and 45 ha of grassland within the volcano’s 4-kilometer permanent danger zone.

NATURE’S FURY Residents of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, witness nature’s fury as Mt. Kanlaon erupts at past 6 p.m. on Sunday. The eruption sent ash into the sky which later blanketed local communities. —MARVIN ESCANDER/CONTRIBUTOR

The affected areas included Barangay Masulog in Canlaon City, and Barangay Biak‑na‑Bato in La Castellana.

Although the flames were extinguished, pockets of smoke could still be seen from a distance, Lechoncito told the Inquirer.

Some of the trees burned in the fire are believed to be old-growth trees, but officials have yet to conduct an on-site inspection because the area remains within the danger zone and the volcano is still unstable.

Instead, authorities plan to conduct a drone survey to assess the damage, he added.

Sulfuric odor

Meanwhile, ashfall and a sulfuric odor from the eruption affected 90 barangays in 11 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

The affected LGUs are La Castellana, Moises Padilla, San Carlos City, Hinigaran, Don Salvador Benedicto, Isabela, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Pontevedra, Kabankalan City and Ilog.

UNREST Mt. Kanlaon erupts on Sunday evening as seen from La Castellana, Negros Occidental. The moderately explosive eruption began at 6:07 p.m., sending ash into the sky and triggering forest and grassland fires on the volcano’s slopes. —MARVIN ESCANDER/CONTRIBUTOR

Ashfall also affected two more barangays—Masulog and Pula—in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, according to Seth Bariga, the city’s information officer.

Due to the eruption, seven LGUs in Negros Occidental—Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Hinigaran, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra and La Castellana—suspended classes on Monday as a precaution.

Canlaon City Mayor Jose “Batchuk” Cardenas urged residents to stay calm and vigilant.

In Moises Padilla, Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo temporarily halted street dance rehearsals in Barangay 4 due to hazardous ashfall.

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